Liquid feeder



L. B. PAINE LIQUID FEEDER Dec. 15, 1936.

Filed Feb. 2, 1954 2 sheets-sheet 1 Dea-.15, 1936.

ll... B; PAINE LIQUID FEEDER Filed Feb. 2, 19:54

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 15, 1936 UNITED sTATEsE PATEIsJTy OFFICE,

LIQUID FEEDER Louis B. Paine, Big Spring,- Tex., assigner to NationalAluminate Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of DelawareApplication February 2, 1934, Serial No. 709,483

4 claims. (c1. 21o-31) 'I'his invention relates to a method andapparatus for mixing a liquid in predetermined quantities with anotherliquid while the latter is-flowing through a conduit, and it has specialreference to a method and apparatus whereby one liquid may be injectedinto another liquid flowing through "a conduit or main in a quantityproportional to the flow of the liquid through said contank such as isused for supplying water to the boilers of railway locomotives. In suchinstallations the inlet to the storage tank may be supgq)v plied with anautomatic control mechanism whereby a predetermined water level may beconstantly maintained in the storage tank. ri'herefore, the water whichis led to the storage tank in a suitable main or conduit mayintermittently flow therethrough and into the tank, or the rate of flowthrough the mainr may be variable.-

it is an object of the present invention to provide an eiiicientautomatic means and method whereby a liquid solution, such as a watersoten.-

3o ing agent, may be injected into water that is iiowing throughs. mainin proportion to the rate of now therethrough and wherein the ilow of,ythe solution to the water flowing in the mainis automatically varied inaccordance with variation of the ilow and is automatically stopped whenthe iiow is stopped, thereby always maintaining in the storage tankapredetermined percentage .oi the solution per unit volume of watercontained in the storage tank.

Broadly, the invention comprises a pressure bypassincluding a volume ofsolution for automatic delivery at the low pressure end of the by-passand in an arrangement whereby water is prevented from mixing with thevolume of solution in the by-pass. In other words, the inventioncontemplates utilizing the pressure diiierence between y two spacedpoints in 'a'water conduit or main to compress a volume of air which, inturn, reacts on a volume of liquid to cause a predetermined percentageflow of said liquid solution' into the iiowing water at the low pressurepoint. i

A further object is to provide a device which is oi simple construction,entirely automatic in operation after once adjusted,r and which will noteasily get out of order and may be applied to substantially any watermainin which a pressure flow may be controlled either automatically ormanually.

, Further objects will be apparent from the speciiication yand theappended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, ofione embodiment of theinvention as applied to a vertical water main; and

Fig.' 2 illustrates the invention `as adapted for ilse in connectionwith a horizontal water main.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the embodiment illustrated invFigure 1 comprises a water main E which may be arranged for eithercontinuous or intermittent Water ow therethrough, and the iiow may beeither uniform or variable. In the present instance, this water maincomprises a lower section 2 and an upper section 3. The section 2 isprovided with a nozzle d extending into the section 3 and, having arestricted passage 5 therethrough. Thelrestricted nozzle extends farenough into the section 3 to provide a chamber 6 around the nozzle andbetween the nozzle and the .Walls of the main and wherein the low ofwater through the restricted passage 5 and the section 3 of the mainwill tend to reduce the pressure.

` Anali* tank or drum l is connected to the main bymeans of a pipe 8which is positioned some distance below the nozzle and provided Vwith avalve 9. Although this is termed an air tank, it

will be partially iilled' with water during the.

operation of the device.

The upper endof a solution tank l0 communicates with the upper portionof the. air tank l through a suitable conduit il. A conduit i2 isconnected adjacent the bottom of the solution tank lil and communicateswith the space or chamber S in the mainbelow the end of the nozzle t.This conduit l2 contains, in series, a strainer i3, a regulating valvei4, a check valve l5 and a shut-ofi valve it. The water pressure fromthe .gauge glass 2i is connected between the conduits l2 and il in amanner to constantly indicate the/Y height ofthe supply of solution inthe tank lo.

lnoperating the device, the solution tank may aluminate solutionalthough any other suitable solution may be used, and the valves 9 andvI6 are openedto a1low water and solution; respec` tively, to ilowtherethrough. The regulating valve I4, which is preferably of the needlevalve type, may be accurately adjusted to permit a predetermined ow ofsolution-therethrough when' water is flowing in the main I. all of thevalves are properly adjusted and water is flowing in this main, thediiierence in the pressures obtaining therein at the conduit 8 and atIthe chamber 6 adjacent the nozzle 5 will cause water to be forced'intothe` 'air tank 1 through the pipe 8 and this, in turn, will cause thesolution to be drawn through the conduit I2 and intoy the main Iadjacent the nozzle 5. A volume of air is thereby trapped under pressurein the upper ,portions .of both tanks 41 and I0 and in the connectingpipe II in accordance with the pressure in the main; and when water isflowing inthe main the reduced pressure around the nozzle 4automatically sets up a predetermined iiow of lsolution through theconduit I2 and into the chamber- 6 of the main 3 vvhere it is mixed withthe water iiowing therethrough. The percentage of solution-per unitvolume of water flowing in the main may be accurately controlled byadjustment of the regulating valve I4. v

When no water is iiowing, the pressureadja.- cent the nozzle I and atthe conduit 8 leading to the air tank is substantially the same. Thebody of solution, therefore, in the tank-'I0 will be balanced betweenthese two forces', and there When will be no ow of solution into themain. Thev body of air entrapped in the top portions'of both tanks 1 andI Il and the'pipe II or between the flowing in the main.

-solutionthrough the pipe I2 water and the solution acts as a cushion orbumper and transmits thev pressure of the water l,from the' air tank tothe solution and prevents water from the conduit 8 entering the solutiontank'through the conduit II. The check valve I5 prevents water from themain enteringA the when no water is When water isallowed to flow in themain II,

the pressure obtaining in' the chamber 8 adjacent the nozzle 4 isappreciably lessened and in actual practice often becomes lessthan-'atmospheric pressure by reason of the water jet passing throughthel nozzle l. Therefore, the solution from the tank III quickly movesin the di rection of this lower pressure and the prede. termined amolmtofsolutionper. u nit volume of moving water in the main enters the mainadjacent the water jet.. By this means a vpredetermined percentage ratioof solution and waterl may always be maintainedin a suitable storagetank supplied from the main, either intermittently or otherwise andirrespectiveof pressure or rate of iiow.

,It is desirable that the nozzle I, or other equivalent means forproviding a point of' reduced pressure in the-main through which thewater is delivered to the storage tank, should be positioned above thetop `of the solution in the tank I0, and it is preferable'that the'ratio `of the `volume of the air tank 1 to the volume of thesolution'tank- I Il should be not less than 5 to 1. This approximateratio. and the approximate positioning of the' nozzle and jet yandconnections theretohave been found to give satisfactory re' suits. Butiti is apparent that xthe aforesaid ratio of tankvolumes may be variedwithin wide ter ow may be controlled by any suitable means..

In thisarrangement `the tanks an'd conduit connections therebetween andthe water main 22 are somewhat the same as previously described forFigure 1, except' that in the arrangement oi."

vFig. 2 pressurefby-pass is provided between two spaced points in themain 22.

In Fig. 2 the jet is not inserted in the water main 22 but, instead, isinserted-in a shunt conduit 23 which may be connected, as shown, to

lthe water main 22 and provided with control valves 24 and 25. Thisshunt conduit 23 is provided wlth a restricted nozzle 26 extending intoa pressure reduction space 21 in the same manner as previously describedfor Figure 1. The

`outlet conduit I 2a from the .solution tank I0a isconnected to thispressure reduction space 21 `at 28 yin substantially the same manner aspreviously described. In\this construction the pressure in the watermain 22 will causev a water pressure to be exerted intheair drum 1auntil entrapped air in the upper portion of the tanks 1a and Ia 'and inthe conduit IIa is compressed equivalent to the pressure of the water.This`pressure is exerted against the solution in the tank IIia which isforced through the strainer I3'a and, assisted by the. suction due toreduced pressure in the chamber 21, enters the conduit 23 andtherethrough into the water main 22. When water is notfiowing in themain 22,' the pressure is equalized in the conduit 23 and the pressuretherefrom 'seats tlie check valve I 5a and prevents any iiow of solutionfrom the tank IIla.

Referring again to Figure 1, the height oi' the solution in the solutiontank I'Il is constantly in.- dicated by the gauge glass 2|, and when itis necessary to rell the solution tankv the valve 9 leading from themain'I to the air tank 1 is closed and the valve I8 is opened to drainthe water from the air tank 1. 'I'he valve 20 at the top `ot thesolution tank is also opened and the required amount of solution ispoured in through thefunnel I9. The valves 20 and I8 are then closed andthe valve 9 opened, and the device is again ready for` automaticoperation. 'I'he same process is followed in lling the device shown in`Fig. 2 after closing the valves 2l 'and 25. When the `wateris' beingdrained from the tank 1, and it is desired to add liquid to the tank I0at the same time, then a valve I I b'. may be opened to the atmosphere,otherwisethe suction caused by the water discharging frcni the tank- 1,may cause .l

some-of the liquid being poured through the funnel I9 to bedrawn overinto the tank 1 thus crevating waste oi' this liquid. The valve IIc inFig. 2

serves the same purpose. As previously stated, the invention hereindissuitable water storage tank, such as used for supplying grailwaylocomotives. .In this connection .closed is adaptable for use in'connection with any either the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 or that l.

.a float 8| on an arm 32 connected with the valve stem. Thisautomatic'valve control may be of any of the usual well known typeswhereby adesired water level may be constantly maintained in theacumen'l p, a predetermined ratio of solution to water can be maintainedin the v storage tank 29 at all times. Further modifications will beapparent to those skilled in the art, and it is desired, therefore, thatY my invention be limited only by the prior art and the scope of theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what II claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In van automatic solution-feeding device `of the character described.the combination with a water main carrying water under pressure andhaving a restricted portion in said main forming an extension in thedirection oi' iiow, said main forming a suction chamber below the end ofsaid extension and providing a reduced pressure intake, a solutionreservoir positioned below said intake `and connected'thereto by arestricted passage, a check valve in said passage to prevent iiow tosaid reservoir, an air reservoir communicating 'with the upper' end ofsaid solution reservoir, the lower end of said air reservoir alsocommunicating with said main at a high pressure point remote irom'saldsuction chamber, the ratio of the volume of said air reservoir to saidsolution reservoir being approximately to l.

2. In an automatic solution-feeding device for the purpose described.the combination with a water conduit carrying water under pressure andhaving a restricted portion Aforming an extension nozzlein said mainextended in the direction oi. iiow, a relatively large suction chamberyaround vsaid extension to provide a large reduced-pres- ',o sure intakearound the end o! said nozzle, a solution reservoir positioned entirelybelow said sucv tion chamber and connected thereto remote from the endof'said extension by a restricted passage.

a `check valve in said passage to prevent ilow to `said reservoir, anair reservoir communicating with said solution reservoir, saidair.reservoir also communicating with said conduit at a high pressurepointremote irom said suction chamber.

3. .A solution-feeding device, comprising a water conduit having arestricted nozzle forming an extension in the direction of pressureiiow, said nozzle having a suction chamber adjacent thereto andcommunicating with said conduit adjacent the end of said nozzle, asolution chamber positioned below said nozzle, a conduit communieatingwith the bottom of said solution chamber and with said suction chamberrearwardly of the end oi' .said nozzle, and an air reservoir having itsupper end communicating with the upper end ot said solution chamber andits lower end communicating with said water conduit at a high pressurepoint remote from said nozzle, said air reservoirbeing of sutilcientlygreater capacity thansaid solution reservoir that the volume of airtrapped in the air reservoir under pressure when said solution reservoirisiull is greater than the capacity of said solution reservoir.

4. A solution feeder oi' the character described the lower end of saidsolution tank to a low pressure region produced by said. vena contracta,an air tank at substantially the same level as said solution tank but ofmaterially greater capacity, a water channel from a high pressure pointin said water conduit to the lower end oi' vsaid air tank, an airchannel' between the upper ends of said tanks and extending a materialdistance above said solution tank. said tanks and said channels beingconstructed and arranged to maintain trapped air above lsaid solutionand a total volume of air between `the low pressure solution outlet andthe highl pressure water inlet nraterially greater'than tire capacity ofsaid solu- Vtion tank and said air channel.

LOUIS B. PAINE. y

